Method of treating waters, including boiler waters, and composition therefor



Patented May 21, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHODLOF TREATING WATERS, INCLUD- ING BOILER WATERS, AND COMEOS'ITION- THEREFOR WayneL. Denman, Berwyn, 111., assignortoDearborn Chemical Company, Chicago, 111., a corporationof Illinois No Drawing.

27 t Claims gredients of the water or aqueous bath.

The invention, in'its narrower. form, contemplates the treatment of waters with saturated and/orunsaturated aliphatic amines, saidcompounds containingeleven (11) or more carbon atoms, being substantially insoluble in water, and showing little tendency to steam distill. In the more specific form of the invention. said compounds are used to inhibit the foaming tendency of raw or softened alkaline waters and par- Application February. 27, .1940, Serial No. 321,140

It may be pointed outthatin accordance with the present invention, itis the :intention to use the broad class of amines, either: aliphatic or aromatic, which are sparingly soluble, or. substantially insoluble in water, and. which prevent the foamingofthe wateror the aqueous: bath treated. Generally,nit is theoamines of high. molecular weight which are themost satisfactory,andas a general 'rule, it may be stated that the mostinsoluble-ones-are the amines which containimore than ten (10) .carbon atoms, .particularlytthe straightchain-primary amines. However, it. may

be pointed out that the split chain primary amines, as well astthestraight chain andsplit .chain' secondary and tertiary amines, may be used in accordance with thepresent invention.-

Other straight chain primary amines which may be used as an anti-foam agent are:

Undec-yl amine (CiiHzsNI-Iz) ticularlykbloilirwatersthaving excess alka1inity,@ 0 Dodecyl amine (CmH25NH2) ,2 a gf a mole Tridecyl amine (CisHz'zNHz) l" a 9 Tetradecyl amine (CmHzaNI-Ia) ffi fss fl fif gj P w eqwva 5 9 PentadecylamineiCitI-ImNHz) N J No'd' m' (CI-INH) It may be stated that the. solubility of the ecyl-a me 19 39 i 2 h E1cosylam1ne(C2oH41NI-Iz) a no atlc am nes in water decieases with the Heneicosyl amine (CHE-NH molecular weight thereof, and, therefore, in aci i i v Doc0sylam1ne( C2zH45NI-Iz) cordance with the present invent on, it is pre- Tricosyl amine (C-HHQNHZ) ferred to use those amine compounds which have Tetracosyl amine, (CMHQNHZ) a high molecular weight,fand by this is meant compounds having eleven 11) carbon atoms or more, and typified by undecyl amine, .dodecyl amine, tridecyl amine and the like. these all beingstraight chain primary amines.

As previously pointed out, aliphatic amines which are sparingly soluble, or substantially insoluble, may be used as the primary anti-foam agent in a composition adapted to inhibit the foaming in waters containing ingredients inducing foaming therein. These amines are particularly capable of giving satisfactory results in inhibiting the foaming tendency of waters containing excess alkalinity, and particularly excess sodium and potassium alkalinity. These. amines as a group show substantially no tendency to saponify in the water or aqueous bath treated.

Preferably, where the Water treated is subjected toa high temperature, the aliphatic amines hexadecyl' amine (C16H33NH2), heptadecyl amine Pentacosyl amine (CzsI-Isi'NHz) Hexacosyl amine (C'ztHssNI-Iz) Heptacosyl amine (CzvHssNHz) Octacosyl amine (CzsHsvNI-Iz) Nonacosyl amine (C29H59NH2) andtthe like; i

Several of the above' amines are known under other names, as for example lauryl amine -(G12H25NI-I2), myristyl-amine (C14I-I29NH2), mel- (CsoHstNHz), and cerotyl amine or the third, or any other subsequent carbon atoms in the chain.

Examples ofsuch isomeric forms are as follows: Considering. thenormal straight chain primary amine, as set forth in the. immediately preceding table, said amine being as .forexample undecyl amine having the formula (CH3(CH2)10NH2), the

isomeric amine thereof is methyl, nonyl, methyl amine (CH3 (CH2) sCHNI-IzCHs) Other isomers of this same normal amine are:

Ethyloctylmethylamine,

CH3 (CH2) 'ICHNHZCHZCHB Propylheptylmethylamine,

CH3 CH2) eCHNHz (CH2) 2CH3 Butylhexylmethylamine,

CH3 (CH2) 5CHNH2 (CI-I2) sClgs Diamyl methyl amine,

Similar isomeric amines may be prepared from other normal straight chain amines.

Secondary amines which are suitable for carrying out the present invention are: Secondary heptylamine, C'lH15HNClH15 Secondary octyl amine, CsHi'zNHCsHi'l Tertiary amines suitable for carrying out the present invention are: Tertiary octylamine, (CsHrz) 3N Tertiary heptylamine, (C'ZH15) 3N Secondary and tertiary amines typified by the above mentioned amines have a number of isomeric forms which may be used in carrying out the present invention. Unbalanced chains or split chains result in many isomers for each amine having all alkyl groups the same.

Irrespective of to which carbon atom the amine group is attached, the material is a straight chain primary amine. Not only is it possible to use straight chain and split chain secondary and tertiary amines, but the isomeric forms of such amines may be used, and these compounds may differ from each other only in having an alkyl group substituted for one or both of the hydrogens in the amine group. If one hydrogen is substituted for, it would of course, be a secondary amine, and if both of the hydrogens are substituted for, it would be a tertiary amine. Substituting alkyl groups for hydrogens in the amine group, would tend to result in products of lower water solubility. However, the point is here made that the amine, irrespective of the substitution that has been made, should be one that has negligible water solubility. Further, the amines herein disclosed should preferably have a specific gravity less than water, so as to eliminate any tendency of the anti-foam agents to settle to the bottom of the treatment vessel.

Very satisfactory results have been obtained when the present invention has been applied to waters containing sodium or potassium alkalinity, that is, water in which the sodium or potassium alkalies, or their equivalents, and particularly sodium or potassium hydroxides, carbonates or bicarbonates, exist in excess of that capable of combining with or existing in combination with calcium and/or magnesium ions present in the water.

Alkalinity of this type can exist naturally in the water or may be derived from zeolite treatment of the water, or may be derived in other ways.

The present invention may be applied to raw waters either hard or soft and beneficial results obtained. Water, which has been softened by the lime-soda-ash process or by phosphates, sodium silicates, or other alkaline treatment, may be treated with an anti-foam composition of the character herein set forth.

straight It is well known that many substances have decided anti-foam properties when used in conjunction with normal types of water which are free from excess alkalinity, such as sodium alkalinity, or which have a low percentage of sodium alkalinity. Castor oil and sperm oil typify such substances.

W'hen materials of this type are added to waters of excess alkalinity, and especially excess sodium and/or potassium alkalinity, poor or mediocre results are obtained in reducing the foaming tendency of the water. It seems probable that the foaming occurring in boiler water is the result of the concentration of soluble salts and insoluble solids in a state of suspension. In waters of excess alkalinity there may be present sodium and/or potassium bi-carbonates and/or car bonates, and there may be present sodium and/or potassium carbonates and/ or hydroxides. Under conditions prevailing in an operating boiler, a large percentage of the bi-carbonates and carbonates originally present in the Water are con-- verted into hydroxides. It may well be that be-- cause of the presence of these hydroxides that the usual anti-foam materials are ineffective when added to boiler Waters having high or moderately high concentrations of alkali hydroxides or other alkali materials.

When oils of the above type are added to boiler water, there is a tendency for them to be saponified or react chemically with the alkali hydroxides or other alkali compounds, with the resultant formation of soluble sodium and/or potassium soaps. The foaming tendencies of sodium and potassium soaps are well recognized and the formation of such soaps accelerate the tendencies of the boiler water to foam.

The following is a specific example, illustrating such acceleration and foaming tendency. An experimental boiler operating at a pressure of 200 lbs. per square inch, with an excess caustic alkalinity in the neighborhood of 200 grains per galion, was treated with a standard anti-foam material containing 16% of castor oil by weight, the proportion being one-quarter pound of the castor oil material per 1000 gallons of water. Immediately after the introduction of the anti-foam material, a test showed no foaming occurring. One hour after the introduction of the anti-foam material, the amount of foaming occurring was approximately 25% greater than that taking place before the anti-foam material was added. The increase in foaming occurring one hour after the introduction of the anti-foam material, namely, castor oil, is due to the saponification of the same by the alkalies present in the boiler water.

Steam distillation of the usual anti-foam materials may, in some measure, reduce the effectiveness of these anti-foam materials in boiler water of high or excess sodium or equivalent alkalinity. However, since most of the usuai anti-foam materials can be used effectively in water containing little or no sodium alkalinity, and their effectiveness maintained, to a large degree at least, for several hours, steam distillation of the anti-foam material is probably of minor impor tance.

In one form of the present invention, water containing alkalinity, and particularly sodium or potassium alkalinity, is treated with a material that is unsaponifiable and does not steam distill to any marked degree. Waters softened by base exchange processes, and especially those which have been treated with zeolites or Waters having imorecfullypointed out. x l l v, LlIt may be.statedzthatlthree'principal:1typical classes of1.dis'persing:.'agents .are available. .The firstclass comprisesrxinorganic colloidal material,

arhighnatural .1 sodium ,llCfil'bOIlBztB a :or: :sodium "bi- :carbonaterialkalinity "are typical :of raters: having foaminglzpropertiesa:and which may .be :treated in :accordance with the present invention; whichresidesnot only: in saidfmethod butwalsol inithe utilization of a particular class :of anti foam materials, and the 'methodtof :preparinglthe same.

a While? thea'average operating Iboiler; pressureuis around=200 poundsxper squareinch, it lS'tOib understoodrthat the-presentinvention istapplica'ble to boiler apressuresmmaterially. higher. or 1 lower 1than=200wpounds per square inch.

'I'he aminesofthepresent invention may be mixed: with a' dispersing agent,tand in lthe" narrower form of thsinvention; the .preferred :dis-

1 parsing agent is ttanm'n; 1 as. will be hereinafter such as clays .or bentonite; the .secondclassror- :ganic materials which 'contairriappreciable quantities of soap in one formor'another; andithethird classa organic materials which are .characterized by colloidal-properties yanda'which contain no soap of any kind. This third class of materials includes the extracts of various woodsand barks which would normally be referred toastannin.

great dispersion that is (necessary when a very small quantity of an anti-foaming compound is dissolvedin a" relatively large amount of boiler feed Water. Howeventheclays or bentonite may be used as the dispersion agent when mixed with other materials, aslhereinafterset forth. f

The soap 'dispersioniagents 'may under some circumstances be used, but certainlynot where there is an excess of-alkali,presentpbecause the soap, inthis case, remaining water soluble would tend to counteractflthe anti-foam properties of the anti-foam agent, and, moreover, in some cases, function to increase the foamingiproperties of the boiler w'aterginstead of decreasing them.

' Investigationhasshownthat tannin is a very desirable dispersinglagent, because at least when waters having alkaline constituents are treated,

and particularly boiler waters, the tannin has better dispersingproperties thantheLclays or soap, While at thesametime it-does nothave the disadvantagesof thelatterclasses of materials.

It may be pointed out that tannin in certain cases and in certain types of waters, has fairly good anti-foamproperties and, therefore, the use of tannin in conjunction with al moreactive antifoam agent results in a composition having antifoam properties superior to that. of either the uactive dispersingimedium-and. also acts as accorirosion'rinhibitor.toprevent corrosion of the boiler x metali g It isx'within the 1 province 1 of the: present sinventionim itsx-broad form to use other equivalentmaterials which perform the same functions 33,57 the .tanninrperforms. i

:;The composition may have present a viscosity- :increasingagent or bodying material. .gA, number yof: compoundssmay be usedasithe bodying agent, butiit lSzplfifGlfiblStOUSE corn mealxor ama-tej .rialacontaining starch. The corn+meal or starch .actslnot only. as a bodyingmaterial, butalso as an:additional'dispersing agent and increases the dispersioncharacteristics of the composition. In

-accordancewith.oneform of the present invention; the anti-foam composition has present a .pri-

..mary dispersion agent, a and a 1 secondary; disper- .siomagent, the secondary; dispersion agent. pref "to the fi'ee amine.

materials used separately. Further the tannin acts as an active dispersing agentzfor the more active or primary anti-foam material, and this is highly desirable in a good anti-foam composition. Again, the tannin performs the function of conferring upon the resulting composition non-corrosive properties. .This is due :to the tendency,

of the tannin extract and similar materials toabsorb dissolvedfloxygen;from. the boiler feed water i a or. from any: other "water" containingcoxygen,

which oxygen, if notremoved, is: one of the. principal causes of boiler corrosion. Tannin,:;.of

. the secondary a rline is representdwbyRR'NH, r65 wand-contains animino group; and when three hydrogen are replaced, the tertiary amine is era-bly: acting also as a bodying agent or: to in- 1 crease; the viscosity of the anti-foam, composi- ..as; hereinbefore pointed out. ifhe increasein the: viscosity of the anti-. foam tion, whiclnof courseacontains anti-foam agents,

'1composition istdesirable since this prevents separation; ofthe active anti foamfconstituents from the remaindero'f the composition.

The following are examples of. methods which .may -berused to obtaintthe bodying effect.

.wln one, methodthe meal or starch is heated. in

Hthe presence; ofadded-water or that contained. in

,the'liquid. tanningextracttto a temperature; high enough to produce a hydrolysis of the mealia This hydrolyzed meal upon coolingtakes on the form of .starchflpaste and. .actsto; increase the viscosity (hilthe anti-foam composition in proportion to the amount .of. starch .or. meal used. The. amount of biadying agent used in the anti-foam composition may, of course, vary,

carrying out-the present invention; thepri- -40 .marysecond'ary ortertiary-i antiefoamag'ent may Lbe a simple amine saturated or'unsaturated, or

, ami'xea amine,lsaturated.or unsaturated. (.Ffurtlier, the primary anti -foarri agent may be a mix- "tuie'of simple aminessaturatejd orunsaturated, i

or a mixture of mixed amines} saturated cruns'aturated. The; amine compound ,or the free amine may be formed in situ by decomposition of as'uitablesalt, said salt upon beingadded tothe water; converting at least a part of ,thefree salt In said formula, R denotes an alkyl group; R and 31', represent hydrogen, or an alkyl group, This formulaisintendedto cover the primary, secondany and tertiary amines. When one hydrogen is 1 replaced'in NHs theresulting' compound may be designated RNI-Ia, which contains the amino group NHz. When two hydrogen are" replaced,

formed having the formula RRR N.

-ticallyhecessary; that the amines have-ahigh ,molecular: ;w eight of 'thegchara'cter herein-set i-;forth. .wrThe :1 amines *;having a relatively low course, is an example-of a material which is an .molecularzi'weight are s'olublexinthe boiler water,

or other water, steam distill to an appreciable extent. It is recognized that the branching of the chain in the chain amines lowers the boilin points of even the high molecular weight amine compounds having at least eleven carbon atoms in the basic R, R. or R" group. However, if the boiling point is not greatly reduced, these branch chain compounds may be used in the treatment of boiler water. For the above reasons, in the preferredform ofthe invention, thecompounds coming within the scope of the present invention, should have at least eleven carbon atoms in the basic alkyl group and preferably in each alkyl group of the secondary and tertiary amines.

The following is an illustrative example of how the present invention may be carried out, there being utilized, in addition to the amine antifoam agent, a dispersing agent and/or a bodying agent. ,While it may not be necessary in some instances to use a dispersing and/or bodying agent, as a general rule, it is desirable.

The above indicates what is meant by the term amine having a high molecular Weight. By this term it is intended to cover amines of the character set forth having eleven (11) or more carbon atoms. The higher amines of the series (CnH2n+l).rNH1 where y=0, l or 2) which have given very satisfactory results are heptacedyl amine, stearyl amine, secondary stearyl amine and tertiary stearyl amine. Polysubstituted amines and particularly those having eleven (11) or more carbon atoms present in each alkyl "group may also be used. The amine, such as heptadecyl amine or stearyl amine may be mixed with a small percentage of corn meal and a predominating quantity of a liquid tannin extract Well known in the prior art, and the mixture is heated to a temperature sufficient to produce a hydrolysis of the meal and .to gelatinize the final product. Satisfactory results have been obtained by heating the mixture to about 180 F. Higher temperatures may be used. This mixture is fed into the boiler in the form of a Water suspension.

As indicated, the preferred form of the antifoam composition for introduction into the boiler feed water is that of a gelatinized product. Such a gelatinized composition may be made by mixing together an amine, such as heptadecyl amine, stearyl amine, or any other amine or amine mixture herein set forth with corn meal and tannin extract.

The ingredients may be mixed in suitable proportions, of which the following tables I to IV amine-35% In general, the amine content of the mixture may vary between about 1% to 2% to 35%.

The above percentages are merely illustrative as to the amount of tannin extract and aliphatic amine, and may vary beyond limit of the maximum and minimum above set forth and still come within the spirit of the present invention.-

As hereinbefore pointed out,'the primary'antifoam'base, such as'the aliphatic'amine, may be used by itself, but it is desirable that the primary anti-foam agent be used in conjunction with the tannin, as the tannin assists in the dispersion, and further is in itself an anti-foam agent. It is preferred to form a gelatinized product of the ingredients, but here again, it is within the spirit of the present invention to use the primary anti-foam agent in an anti-foam composition which is not reduced to paste form.

Instead of using corn meal or starch as the viscosity-increasing or bodying agent, various other such agents may be used, as for example, dextrine. When usingv dextrine, satisfactory results have been obtained when the mixture contained from 5% to 50% of dextrine, which is a degradation. product of starch. Instead of using corn meal, starch or dextrine, other bodying agents may be used. Gums, such-as gum'tragacanth, gum acacia and locust bean gum, which are additional examples of suitable bodying agents, give good results.

The following examples illustrate how the dispersionv agents and the bodying agents may be varied:

[Fable II Amine Tannin extract Corn meal Percent Percent Percent 2 92 6 5 89 6 10 84 6 l5 79 0' 20 5 30 66 4 35 61 4 Table III Tannin Benton- Corn Amme extract ite I starch Percent Percent Percent Percent able IV Amine Tannin extract British gum Percent Percent Percent It is desired to point out that the above,

.ing agents and bodying agents may be used and still come Within the spirit of the present invention.

While usually the amount of bodying agent will vary 'from1i2%"to 8%, it maybe much higher, as for examplawhenusing dextrine, up toabout: 50% by weightwof the mixture may be dextrine,

and again it is not necessary with some of the bodying agents that the lower limitibe 2%. Less sin 1e ctner-tertiarywaminc. .-a pl ra n t er? tiary. amines to formthe active anti oam agentt F Moreover, any: of. t e mines; ero n 3 than 2% maybe. usedgkand while 2% may "be considered a satisfactory lower limitfor starch,

if the starch is used in. conjunction with other; thickening agents, such as a gum, then the starch l may be reduced to less than 2%.,

A paste mixture prepared as set forth and con taining a primaryanti-foam agent, a secondary anti-foamingagent, which preferably, 113181115",

persing properties, and-a bodying agent ofqthe character herein set. forthrmay. be added to boilerwater to prevent. foaming A thereof; More specifically, any of the compositions herein set forth may be added tothe boilerwaterin the ratio of one-quarterpound of the composition per 1000 gallons of water. may be added is strictly illustrative, andisnot to be taken by way oflimitation. Obviously, the

The amount which,

amount of anti-foam material which is added to the water will depend 'upon the.characteristics of the water. .Forwexample, in another experiment it was found that as low as one-twentieth /2 of a pound of the anti-foam composition per1000 [gallons of water wastsatisfactory- In still anothercase two (2) pounds of the anti-Q foam compositionper 1000=gallons of water posie tivelyinhibited the anti-foam. tendency of the f boilerfeed. i i

The above mixtures and similar mixtures were added to watero-f the character that the. castor oil, previouslyreferred to, was added;fiand ithe conditions of thetests were the same. Tests taken immediately after the introduction of the anti-foamcomposition showed no foaming occurring. Tests made :two and one-'ha1f1-(2 /2h 4 hours s after the introduction it of the anti-foam material showed the foaming to bepractical1y nil. Tests'which-were madeafter continuous heating of the-anti-foam material in the boiler, water, under the above conditions, fQreightiS) hours; showeda" tendencytofoam, which was only a' small fraction of- "the foaming: occurring before the-anti-foam was-added; Aftentwenty hours i the aten'dency -tofoam was i not quite as great as that exhibited 'by the untreated water;

Even in the'presence. of theanti-foam mate-; rial, there is some tendency to foamg and'the amount of foaming inthe presence o-f theantifoam material, may vary from avery small percentage to to 40% of the foaming that occurs before the anti-foam material isadded.

The compoundsherein set forth give-markedly superior: resultswhen treating water containing excess-alkalinity. If castor oil; which is a well known anti-foaming agent forwater which does not contain excess alkalinity, were used, the" oil would become saponified and thereby: rendered,

ineffective and/or harmful. In rawwater-and water softened in any well known manner, as for example by the lime-soda-ash process, theamines as hereinbefore describedare also effective. The herein referred to amines-and'amine compounds can each be mixed with the other-to form the activeanti-foam agent; Moreover, the mixturemay contain morethan two aminesor amine 1 compounds. The primary aminestmay have an additionalprimary.amineofthecharacter herein setfortli; or:,a;;plurality: of amines mixed therewith to form; the aminew anti-foam agent.

The' secondaryamineszmay ,beamixed; with ;a single and rjthe 1 tertiarys amines; may, be mix with a ferred to may be mixedwith any; of;.th secondary amines or thcanti-foam as n vmar om ri e a mixture of a primaryamine compound m y 'also b mixediwi-th; :ea h rot r activeanti-foam; comp und Y Itii .n t bou h necessary -to refer to; all ,of flthe m tures-of; primaryamine compounds an /cos condar amine;

c pounds: n /o t ary qam neom ounds.

which may be used in carrying outthe present in- .vention. However, as a specific ex:ample,;;it,-may l bestatedthat. secondary stearyl amine and tertiary stearyl, amine may-be mixed together-with. the tannincompounds herein referred to and a bodying, agent, and excellent results be,-obtained. The present application is a continuation-ma part of applications Serial Nosii193,366,193361 Y and193,368, all filed March 1, 1938, each of said applications being a continuation-impart crap? plication Serial No. 579, filed January}5, 1935.

While starches, starch-degradation: products, and'gums maybe used as bodyi ng aagenl s,.broadly any bodying, agent may be used whichQwillfunction to increase thegviscosity ofLQthe mixture.

.The bodying agent may be .a mixture of organic o ying ag nts or. amixture of inorg mo agents.

' orthe bodying agentlmaybe. a mixture pfgor solids in the state of suspension to jprevent said anicu and inorganic .compoundsax As .Hereinbe-,

fore stated, it is preferred that thei feoohdary dispersing agent, such. as bentonite, andthe like, act as-abodying agent.

The expression comprising. introducing into the bath a composition containing asjits essential;

antiefoam agent an aliphatic amine?" o1: equiv-, alentexpressions, asusedin somegof the claims;

is intended tocover the introduction of, the amine intothe bath or of theflbath intotheamine; I..c1aim:, i Y

1.. The process of treating waterwhich include a in to t e. waterasm lam un ;no to exceed five hundred tparts (per, million, of ajcgmpound hosenfrom t e. ou c n st ngof al ph ic p 3 mary and secondary amines having at least six carbon atoms in an alkyl 'group thereof,

2. The method of "treating watercontaining solids from deleteriously afiecting thewater, comprising adding to the water an aliphatic. amine in an amount not exceeding 500 parts per million,

said amine having at least six carbon atoms in an alkyl group thereof.

3. The method of conditioning an aqueous bath having ingredients] present inducing foaming therein comprising introducing into the bath a composition containing. as its essential'anti-ifoam agent anialiphatic amine containingqati least eleven carbon atoms incan alkylcradical thereof,

said aminebeing. characterized by the properties of being insoluble. in the bath, and ishowinglittle tendency to sa'ponify with the, ingredients; Of the bath,, the anti-foam "agent-being. presenttin an amount suflicient to, inhibit foaming-of the bath.

, 4. Themethod of .conditioning;anagueous bath containing excess alkalinity and haying, ingredients present inducing foaming therein comprise ,ing introducing into; the bath containing, excess alkalinityta; composition containing as its *QSSGII? tial anti-fo am agent an aliphatic aminecontaim ing atleastelcvencarbonatoms in an alkyl rad amine tor; a @pluralit fofrot erj cco a ram es.

a1'SQQO1lC 1- y' amine compo nd, w ndia t rt a a 1 m-t Doundifor a mixture. thereof-' h tor iar ical; thereof said compound being characterized by the 4 properties or being insoluble in the bath and showing little tendencylto saponify with the ingredients of the bath, the anti-foam agent being present in an amount sumcient to inhibit foaming of the bath.

' 5'. B'oiler water containing alkaline constituents and carrying an aliphatic amine compound foaminhibitor containing at least eleven carbon atoms in an alkyl radical thereof, said inhibitor being present in an amount which inhibits foaming of the boiler waterand being characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler water, steam distilling to a negligible extent and showing little tendency to saponify. 6.' Boiler water containing alkaline constituents and carrying an aliphatic amine compound foam inhibitor containing at least eleven carbon atoms in an a-llgyl radical thereof and having the general formula (CnH2n+1)xNH where .r is an integer and y is selected from the group consisting of 0, 1' and 2, said inhibitor being characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler Water, steam distilling to a negligible extent and showing little tendency to saponify. V

7. The method of conditioning an aqueous bath" having an alkali constituent comprising introducing into said aqueous bath having an alkaliconstituent a composition containing as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic amine con taining at least eleven carbon' atom's in an alkyl radical thereof and characterized by the propert'iespf being substantially insoluble in the aqueous bath being treated, steam distilling to a negligible extent," and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the bath, said amine being present inan amount sufficient"to inhibit foaming of the aqueous bath.

The method of conditioning boiler water having prese;nt ingredients inducing foaming therein, "comprisinglintroducing into the boiler Water a composition containing as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic amine characterized by the properties of being"substantially'insoluble in theboiler water" being treated, steam distillingto 'a' negligible extent and showing little tendencyito .saponify with the ingredients of the bath, the'amine'being present in an amount sufficient, to, inhibit foaming of the bath, said amineco'mp'o'und being represented bytne following formula? I RNR A in which R is an alkyl group containing at least eleven carbon atoms; and R and R" are selected fromithe group consisting of hydrogen and an alkylg'roup.v f I v 9. The method of condition ng boiler water comprising introducing into said boiler water a composition containing a dispersing agent, and

as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic agent, and as its essential anti-foamfa'gent .an aliphatic amine containing at least eleven. carbon atoms and characterized bythe properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler Water being treated, steam distilling "toa negligible extent, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler water, said amine being presentin an amount suflicientto inhibit foaming of the boilerwater.

11. The method of conditioning boiler water comprising introducing into said boiler water a composition. containing as its essential antifoam agent an aliphatic amine containing at least eleven carbon atoms, a dispersing'agent' for said amine and a bodying agent for increasing the viscosity of the composition, said amine being present in an amount, sufficient to. inhibit foaming of the boiler water and characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler water being treated, steam distilling to a negligible extent, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler water.

l2. Tl1e method of conditioning boiler water comprising introducing into said boiler Water composition containing as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic amine containing at least leven carbon atoms, a, tannin dispersing agent for said amine and a bodying agent for increasing the viscosity of the composition, said amine being present in an amount suff cient'to inhibit foaming of the boiler water and characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler water being treated, steamdistilling to a negligible extent, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler Water.

13..The method of conditioning boiler water comprising introducing into said boiler water a composition containing as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic amine containing at least eleven carbon atoms, a tannin dispersing agent for said amine and a carbohydrate bodying agent for increasing the viscosity of the composition, said amine being present in an amount sufficient to inhibit foaming of the boiler water and characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler water being treated, steam distilling to a negligible extent, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler water.

14. The method of conditioning boiler water comprising introducing into said boiler water a composition containing as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic amine containing at least eleven carbon atoms, a dispersing agent for said amine and a carbohydrate bodying agent for increasing the ,Viscosity of the composition, said amine being present in an amount sufiicient to inhibit foaming of the boiler water and characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler water being treated, steam distilling to a negligible extent, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler water. g a r 15. The method of conditioning boiler Water which has been softened by the lime-soda process comprisingintroducing into said water which has been softened by the lime sodaprocess acomposition containing as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic amine" containing at least eleven carbon atoms in an alkyl radicalthereof stantially insoluble in the boiler, Water-"being treated, steam distilling to a negligible extent, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler water, said amlne being present in an amount suificient to inhibit foami which has been softened by treatment with zeolite, a composition'containing as its essential anti-foamagent an aliphatic amine containing at least eleven carbon atoms in an alkyl radical thereof and characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler water being treated, steam distilling to a negligible extent, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler water, said amine being present in an amount sufficient tof inhibit foamingof the boiler water. B

17. An anti-foam composition for treating boiler water to inhibit foaming therein, said composition comprising as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic amine compound containing at least eleven carbon atoms, a tannin as a dispersing agent, and a bodying agent whichincreases the viscosity of the composition and which inhibits the separation of the anti-foam constituents from the composition, said amine compound being characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler water being treated, steam distilling to a negligible extent, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler water, said amine compound being present in an amount "which does inhibit foaming.

18. An anti-foam composition for treating boiler water to inhibit foaming therein, said composition comprising as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic amine compound containing at least eleven carbon atoms, a tannin as a disto increase the viscosity of the composition, said amine compound being characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the boiler water being treated, steam distilling to a negligible extent, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler water. i

19. The method of conditioning an aqueous bath having present ingredients inducing foaming therein, comprising introducing into the bath a composition containing as its essential antifoam agent a mixture of primary, secondary and tertiary aliphatic amines, each of said amines containing at least eleven carbon atoms in, an: alkyl radical thereof, said mixture of amines being characterized by the properties of being insoluble in the bath, and showing little tendency littletendency to saponify with the ingredients" of the boiler water, the anti-foam agent being present in an amount Which does inhibit foaming of the boiler, water.

21. The method of conditioning an aqueous bath having present ingredients inducing foaming therein, comprising introducing into the bath a composition containing as its essential antifoam agent a mixture of secondary and tertiary aliphatic amines, each of said amines containing at least eleven carbon atomsin an alkyl radical thereof, said mixture of amines being characterized by the properties of being insoluble in the bath, and showing little tendency to saponifywith the ingredients of the bath, theantifoam agent being present in an amount which does inhibit foaming of the bath.

22. The method of conditioning boiler water having "present alkaline ingredients inducing foaming therein, comprising introducing into the boiler water a composition containing as its essential anti-foam agent a mixture of secondary and tertiary aliphatic amines, each of said amines containing at least eleven carbon atoms in an alkyl radical thereof, said mixture of amines being characterized by the properties of being insoluble in the boiler water, and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the boiler water, the anti-foam agent being present 23. The method of conditioning an aqueous bath having present ingredients inducing foampersing agent, and a carbohydrate bodying agent ing therein, comprising introducing into the bath a composition containing as its essential anti-foam agent an aliphatic amine characterized by the properties of being substantially insoluble in the aqueous bath being treated, steam distilling to a negligible extent and showing little tendency to saponify with the ingredients of the bath, the amine compound beingp-resent in an amount sufiicient to inhibit foaming of the bath,

said amine compound being represented by the following formula:

, ing therein comprising introducin into the bath a mixture of stearyl amine, tannin, and a carbohydrate which increases the viscosity of the mixture, said stearyl amine being present in an amount sufiicient to inhibit foaming of the bath.

26. Themethod of conditioning boiler water having present ingredients inducing foaming comprising introducing into the boiler water a heptadecyl amine.

27. Boiler water containing alkaline constituents and carrying as an inhibitor of foaming heptadeeyl amine;

WAYNE L. DENMAN. 

